Emissions compliance and fuel efficiency: a double benefit

Environmental regulations are becoming increasingly stringent, leaving the maritime industry with the dual challenge of maintaining efficiency and ensuring compliance with international emissions standards.

Kongsberg Maritime’s new Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS) offers a robust solution to this challenge, providing owners and operators with the tools to prepare for the evolution of emissions regulations.

Know your emissions

CEMS uses advanced sensor technology to measure a wide range of greenhouse gases, including CO₂, CH₄, SO₂, NO, NO₂, and CO, which may be present in the exhaust. This provides accurate and continuous data so that ship operators can ensure compliance both now and in the future.

The system allows for comprehensive emission analysis and real-time monitoring which is impossible with traditional methods such as flow metering, which merely calculates emissions based on fuel consumption.

“Calculation methods are to some extent based on manual inputs and are inherently imprecise. In addition, they only give you half the picture. If the emissions start increasing with the same operational pattern, calculation methods are not able to give any insight into the combustion processes. With CEMS we can give the shipowner the full picture,” says Randi Østern, a Senior Project Manager with Kongsberg Maritime who led the development of the system. 

The system, which uses a cold dry extractive method, also guarantees that all emissions data from all combustion sources is accurately captured and stored for further analysis. This is vital in any decarbonisation plan.

“Ship owners need to comply with upcoming regulations that are tightening, year by year,” says Randi. “The key to future proofing vessels is emissions monitoring.” 
Randi also points to the quality of data recorded by CEMS. “This is what our clients want – reliable data from sensor to cloud.” 

Future proofing made easier

Kongsberg Maritime’s CEMS integrates tightly with the company’s K-Chief vessel automation system, which makes it much easier for a vessel’s crew to read and interpret emissions data. A single interface shows operational data along with emissions data. The system’s ability to automate and streamline the monitoring process reduces manual efforts and errors, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

Randi notes that most vessel owners have yet to invest in CEMS. “A lot of vessel owners are considering fleet-wide installation,” she says, “and we have worldwide support for this technology.”

Any CEMS will require regular maintenance, and Kongsberg Maritime has a global network of support centres that can assist vessel owners. Moreover, with K-Chief integration, diagnostic support can be done remotely with full cybersecurity protocols in place.

Kongsberg Maritime CEMS is a powerful part of an owner’s toolkit for future proofing fleets. By combining the data technology, integration and global support network, shipowners and operators can reliably and economically ensure emissions compliance. And that is in everyone’s interest.